Ennis, a 6-foot-2 point guard, became the 21st player in Syracuse history to go in the first round of the NBA draft. Ennis' selection marks the third year in a row that a Syracuse player was taken in the draft's first round. Dion Waiters (2012), Fab Melo (2012) and Michael Carter-Williams (2013) were first-round picks out of Syracuse in recent years.

After his name was called, Ennis hugged his family members, including his mother and father, as well his two older brothers.

Ennis joins a Phoenix franchise that showed marked improvement last season and just missed the NBA playoffs.

Ennis will join former ACC foe T.J. Warren of North Carolina State with the Suns. Phoenix took Warren with the No. 14 pick in the draft.

At one point, Ennis was projected as a potential lottery pick. Then it seemed likely he would end up with his hometown Toronto Raptors.

Ennis decided to enter the NBA after a terrific freshman season at Syracuse last year. Ennis averaged 12.9 points and 5.5 assists last year for the Orange.

Ennis becomes just the third player in Syracuse University history to be drafted after just one year of college. He joins Carmelo Anthony, the No. 3 pick in 2003, and Donte Greene, the No. 28 pick in 2008.

Ennis worked out for at least nine NBA teams in the weeks leading up to Thursday's draft. He listed Toronto, Los Angeles Lakers, Sacramento, Orlando, Phoenix, Atlanta and Minnesota.

ESPN's Jay Bilas had this to say about Ennis:

Jay Bilas on Ennis: I think the key word is maturity, poise. At his age he's unflappable. People will say he's not the best athlete. He's as fast as he needs to be. He has a runner, he has a floater, he gets his shots off and he doesn't make mistakes.

He doesn't blast off pick-and-rolls but he makes his read. He gets by people and he makes plays.

He had his team undefeated, the shot against Pittsburgh, it's not just that he made the shot but he put himself in position to hit that shot. There are some questions because he played the zone, but it's not like he's never played man before. It's not like they gave him a Rubix cube.